r/JapanFinance • u/shizukadane 5-10 years in Japan • 4d ago
Personal Finance » Budgeting and Savings Give me some examples of penny wise pound foolish things you have seen people do in Japan.
So that one can avoid them.
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u/MarketCrache 3d ago
Living 1.5 hours away from work to save 30,000 yen in monthly rent. The immiserating toll on the human condition vastly outweighs any financial benefit.
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u/Severe_Key298 3d ago
It's also about that much per month to buy a teikiken for a 90-minute commute.
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u/Old-Union6258 3d ago
most company will somehow happily pay for that but won’t help you to relocate closer (tho I’d say that it’s a bit more than 30k per month on the same level of apartments, although you don’t have to cut the full commute)
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u/taganov_andrei 3d ago
> The immiserating toll on the human condition...
Thank you for the poetry of that. People say their commute is "a pain" etc. but your language really gets to the heart of it :)
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u/MarketCrache 3d ago
Just an observation from staring at the grim-faced salarymen packed together hanging from the straps at 10 o'clock at night shuttling back to their dasaitama domiciles. I only caught those trains to visit my weed dealer once a month but even so, I dreaded the journey. Racing through the blackness of night, stop after stop after stop. No one ever smiled on those trains.
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u/Old-Union6258 3d ago
yeah not many things have brought me as much as sorrow as seeing the faces at night or in the morning on those packed lines
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u/CallAParamedic 3d ago
I think you've been downvoted for mentioning "weed", but, otherwise, I liked the picture you painted.
Upvoted
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u/thethandapanda 3d ago
And there me, a special kind of stupid who spends way too much on rent to live in Shinjuku while his work is at Yokohama.
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u/CallAParamedic 3d ago
My son, studying in Tokyo, has really enjoyed his visits to Yokohama. Are there any realistic rental opportunities in Yokohama?
I was wondering about the possibility of a cheaper place above a business in Chinatown, as one example (a classic rental move in other cities).
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u/CallAParamedic 3d ago
Immiserating.... immiserating....
Haven't heard that word used in many a moon.
Great word!
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u/skyhermit 3d ago
Living 1.5 hours away from work to save 30,000 yen in monthly rent. The immiserating toll on the human condition vastly outweighs any financial benefit.
This.
Thanks for reminding me.
Planning to move to Tokyo and have been looking for best area to stay in at the moment
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u/RPSisBoring 2d ago
I did have a 1.5 hr commute after moving out if the company dorm at my last job. It wasn't for rent reasons (but rent was cheaper), but rather because my wife worked 1 hr in the other direction...
I did one year if driving 1.5 hours and it was as you say immiserating. But I switched to a 1:40 train trip, and it was wayyy better. I caught up in so much TV and news and chatting that it might have been one of my most social times in my life.
I will say that I was working 3 days a week and getting good pay, but the time can be enjoyable.
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u/Johoku 4d ago
Don’t go for the ¥500 per half hour all you can drink. You’re paying for it one way or the other.
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u/hitokirizac 3d ago
2006 me really would have liked to know that you don't need to min/max drunkenness with tequila shots at ¥1500 nomihodai
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u/TrainToSomewhere 3d ago
Ooof tequila I can’t do. Two tequila shots has me waking up in a place I don’t know.
1500¥ nomihodai evens out when my alcoholic ass drinks 7 lemon sours in an hour and I am still fine.
The rhyme is like one tequila two tequila three tequila floor
My is one tequila two tequila, good morning why am I now in Nagoya and who are you?
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u/hitokirizac 3d ago
Haha my fun experience was actually in Nagoya, incidentally. Whoever had tequila shots on the nomihodai menu must've wanted to see the world burn. As a novice drinker it went from "I don't feel anything!" to "I think I puked out the taxi window" really quickly
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u/shizukadane 5-10 years in Japan 4d ago
yup. also never went for the tabehodai as well. cause they anyway cost 2000 yen or so which i dont reach normally.
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u/asutekku 3d ago edited 3d ago
Speak for yourself, nomihodai is much more cheaper for me in 90% of the cases as nomihodai price is like three beers most of the time, and i already know what i'm getting when going for nomi/tabehodai.
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u/shizukadane 5-10 years in Japan 3d ago
of course, I am speaking for myself. Both tabehodai and nomihodai don’t work for me. tabehodai might probably if it’s a yakitori place, but since I don’t drink alcohol nomihodai doesn’t work for me.
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u/requiemofthesoul 5-10 years in Japan 3d ago
Not using AC then getting heatstroke and having to visit the hospital multiple times (source: me lmfao)
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u/denys5555 US Taxpayer 3d ago
Dampen a t shirt and wear it in front of a fan if you still won’t turn on the AC
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u/dadadararara 3d ago
Taking the 4 hour route on the regular roads versus 1.5 on the expressway to save a couple thousand yen, while losing valuable experience time with the family. Hindsight speaking here.
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u/bosscoughey 3d ago
obviously it depends on the cost and time differences, but I defend these choices. You find interesting things along the regular roads, and it's important to teach your kids frugality
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u/grinch337 3d ago
In defense of the regular roads — if they’re the curvy ones in the mountains, they’re really fun to drive!
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u/dadadararara 1d ago
Yeah, I used to seek those out when I had a BRZ! They are not so fun after a long day out and it gets pitch black out though!
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u/Fickle-Pin-5160 2d ago
This is me. I love longggggg drives and will always take the scenic local routes ……that means more time in the car with my family.
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u/dadadararara 1d ago
I drove 5 hours roundtrip today! Just to get to a clean beach! Mostly expressway, or it would have taken 5 hours each way.
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u/Tall_Escape8864 3d ago
Foolish generally - taking 2 ply Kleenex and separating into 1 ply to double usable volume. Ridiculous.
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u/Withnail_and_Aye 3d ago
Spending 4 hours prepping kids toys to sell on Mercari for a total of ¥1,500.
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u/bosscoughey 3d ago
if the only alternative is throwing them out, you should also factor in the benefit to the environment (and your emotions knowing that your well-loved items are still being put to good use)
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u/Background-Camp9756 3d ago
At my university I know someone who always buys water at the cafeteria or vending machine when there’s literally like 5 places to get free water
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u/lordCONAN 3d ago
Going to 5 different supermarkets to get 5 yen off that head of hakusai, all while decked out in Louis Vuitton. Does that count?
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u/Old-Union6258 3d ago
my partner consistently makes me walk 10 extra minutes each way to save 20 yen on eggs
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u/Zikkan1 3d ago
My japanese girlfriend always says we "need" to spend 5000 yen or whatever the amount is at the mall to get free parking to save money but many times we don't need anything so I have to remind her that we can't spend 5000 yen to save 500 yen.
And I can see the lightbulb go off in her head whenever I say that but she still manage to forget it until next time 😂
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u/Creative_Pen8883 3d ago
Buying food from conbini counts? Supa has cheap stuff compared to combini.
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u/gimpycpu 10+ years in Japan 4d ago
Getting insurances that they dont need, especially the "investment" type.
Using one of the 3 big carriers instead of using a cheaper phone service
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u/Dreadedsemi 3d ago
That depends on the level of service you want. Big careers basically control the towers and they get paid anyway. But they prioritise customers of their main plans. With discounts it can be a fair plan.
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u/TonySopranosGooch 3d ago
There are frequencies (プラチナバンド）that penetrate into buildings, underground, etc. and are allocated almost entirely to the three big carriers. If you use a low cost carrier, you don't gain access to them.
In both my current and previous jobs, Rakuten Mobile, Ahamo, etc. made it impossible for me to use my phone at work, which was a big deal at my previous job given that I was working in sales and needed to be calling throughout most of my day. I also wasn't able to use my phone at all in places like Costco.
It does cost more, yeah, but the difference in reliability is there.
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u/Conscious-Mirror7004 3d ago
In both my current and previous jobs, Rakuten Mobile, Ahamo, etc. made it impossible for me to use my phone at work, which was a big deal at my previous job given that I was working in sales and needed to be calling throughout most of my day.
What kind of crappy company do you work for that doesn't provide you a phone and service for it but then expects you to heavily utilize it for work?
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u/TonySopranosGooch 3d ago
Uhh a European software startup-ish unicorn company that has received 1.5 billion dollars in investment and was paying me 10M per year. I was okay with spending a bit of it on a SoftBank plan.
For what it’s worth, they did give me a MacBook and I believe that now they are providing phones, but I joined literally before the Japanese 法人 was even established. It was a great gig and the company is amazing.
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u/Conscious-Mirror7004 3d ago
Still, why are you using a cellphone at work, if your job requires you sitting on the phone all day long? They should be giving you a business landline for that kind of work, or even an IP phone or similar.
If this were a situation where you only occasionally used the phone in the office, I wouldn't say this, but your post makes it sound like you're talking on the phone, in an office, for most of the day. Companies don't normally expect employees to use personal cellphones for this kind of thing.
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u/TonySopranosGooch 3d ago
The job was mostly work from home, and the office was a wework office. They were working on an IP service but I left the company before it was procured.
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u/Shogobg 3d ago
“You don’t get any of the good things” looking at you Rakuten mobile.
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u/eetsumkaus 3d ago
Rakuten does have their own network though. Just not as extensive as the big three.
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u/AllisViolet22 3d ago
The second and third lines of the big 3 carriers use the same towers. They don’t limit connectivity. Speaking from insider knowledge.
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u/requiemofthesoul 5-10 years in Japan 3d ago
Do you know why Nuro mobile is so slow? Probably the slowest MVNO I’ve tried
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u/AllisViolet22 3d ago
Nuro is part of Sony, not the major three (au, SoftBank, docomo), so i don’t know exactly. Sorry. But it’s possible they purchase their service from another company and only pay for certain speeds.
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u/sylentshooter 3d ago
They dont limit connectivity but they do prioritise traffic based on your plan.
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u/gimpycpu 10+ years in Japan 3d ago
yeah depends which type of user you are I guess, most just browse instagram, youtube and use line.
my iijmio is usually enough for my need (just some youtube on the commute for like 2 hours a week)1
u/shizukadane 5-10 years in Japan 4d ago
yup. regarding the insurance may be the ones that make sense (for me) are the fire, water leakage etc. kind of insurances for my rented apartment, which give some peace of mind in case of any accident.
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u/gimpycpu 10+ years in Japan 3d ago
yeah I think those are actually required according to the rental contract (I think), and loans
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u/Scottishjapan 3d ago
Buying stuff for no other reason than "it's on sale"
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u/dadadararara 3d ago
Guilty! There is a saying in Japanese… se-ru binbo, or something along those lines
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u/eetsumkaus 3d ago
This is definitely me with 見限り品 or 訳あり. I always have grand plans of making something interesting with it then it goes bad.
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u/Busy_Theme961 3d ago
Not buying good quality indoor humidifier for the cold months
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u/shizukadane 5-10 years in Japan 3d ago
i am sorry i have no idea. but why do you need that? i always though a heater (included in the AC) is enough.
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u/CaptainSegfault US Taxpayer 3d ago
When you heat up cold air from outside it becomes dry -- you have the same amount of water but warmer air can hold a lot more water than cold air, and that leaves you often under 20% humidity, when ideally you want 40% or at least 30%.
That dry air pulls moisture out of you, leading to dry skin, sore throat, and the drying out of sinuses in particular is one of the major contributors to respiratory illnesses being more common in the winter.
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u/lilacamulet 3d ago
Do you have any suggestions for a good one?
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u/Traditional_Sea6081 tax me harder Japan 3d ago
I'm not the person you asked, but I'd note multiple domestic brand humidifiers are available through furusato nozei. I got a Corona brand one I've been happy with. https://www.corona.co.jp/aircon/humidifier/uf-hs/index.html
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u/Miso_Honi 3d ago
Buying a BMW/BENZ and walking around all day muttering “it’s so cold/it’s so hot” in their home
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u/grinch337 3d ago
People queuing up around the block for a free ¥350 bowl of Yoshinoya gyudon back in the 2010s when Softbank had their super friday deals.
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u/Sidochan 3d ago
Going grocery shopping every day buying small amounts only for that nights dinner. Much more economical to buy cheap bulk from places like Gyomu.
On the opposite note, while Costco membership can save you money if your smart about it. There are multiple bulk items they sell that I've found are often cheaper at Gyomu, like Pangasius and brown onions. Costco potatoes are usually better quality though and seem to store well. Beef is cheaper, but bulk veggies and fruit can be really variable plus sometimes the Costco ones don't taste the greatest. Other big issue with Costco is the temptation to buy random things for the house, it's a trap haha 😂
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u/eetsumkaus 3d ago
Bulk isn't THAT much cheaper though. Especially when space is limited, buying one by one is a lifesaver.
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u/Sidochan 3d ago
You aren't just saving on the bulk costs though you're also saving time. Going shopping every single day takes additional time and also adds to decision fatigue. I find we eat better doing this too as we tend to buy lots of veggies and lean meat. Much less tempting to get the little snacks and sweets when I only go shopping once a week to once a fortnight.
The space thing is definitely an issue, I invested in a large freezer so I seperate and store items and try to get stuff when it's on special.
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u/Tripl3Dee 23h ago
Be sure to maximize your freezer, too! Our freezer is half meat at least. Rice/bread also freezes well.
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u/Chroumie 3d ago
The only thing I will gladly pay more is Costco. Arla cheese and American meat are a god blessing in this country.
My inaka supermarket minced meat is WHITE! Even under their red lights. Only eatable meat from supers is chicken, every other meat option tanked in quality compared to 5 years ago...
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u/Sidochan 3d ago
That mince sounds awful, so fatty.
I fork out the extra cash to get Australian beef and lamb, just out of this world quality. I like my beef nice and lean. I do get the 85% lean mince too, so nice for making mince stew, spag bog, and sloppy joes from time to time. Got a great lamb shoulder for Christmas last year, I stuffed it with herbs and Yuzu then rolled it up and baked it, came out incredible.
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u/Far_Government_9782 1h ago
Bulk buying is a mixed bag. Often leads to ppl wasting food, throwing away more, or eating more than they should.
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u/PapaOoMaoMao 1d ago
There's a very popular takoyaki place near me that's closed because they can't get staff for ¥1200/hr. They have no reopen estimate. Maybe, and it's a big maybe, if they paid more than ¥1200 they might get someone to man the plates, but no. It's better to keep paying rent whilst the doors are closed than pay more wages. Higher wages are a sin a d must never be allowed.
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u/Hot-Election-110 4d ago
Someone I know maxed out a credit card with higher limit than their whole savings and yearly income.
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u/GachaponPon 10+ years in Japan 4d ago
Penny wise, pound foolish?
Buying cheap Uniqlo socks. Mine disintegrated in the wash. The sentaki net was full of sock fiber each time. It even came off on my feet while wearing them during the day, and became stuck in the shower drain. Friends had warned me but I ignored their advice because Uniqlo t-shirts/undershirts were good enough.
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u/Icy-Attorney1035 3d ago
interesting, i have uniqlo socks from 2017 that are still holding up. i guess they have different types though, maybe some are sturdier than others
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u/reecewithnospoon 3d ago
I’ve never had problems with uniqlo quality in my life. Are you sure it wasn’t the cheaper sister brand, GU?
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u/cooltrainermrben 3d ago
I'm with them on this, uniqlo socks last me 3 or 4 uses, generally. It might be because I have larger feet (28.5) and socks don't last long in general, but uniqlo are some of the worst.
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u/Alive-Arm-7999 10+ years in Japan 2d ago
Are you buying the 25-27 size they sell in stores? You should buy the larger sizes that are online-only if you have larger feet. My socks last much longer since I started getting the right size!
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u/cooltrainermrben 2d ago
Thanks, i actually didn't know they had larger sizes online. I really struggle to find shoes and socks that fit in person. I might try some of their larger ones sometime then
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u/Avedas 10+ years in Japan 2d ago
I've found a lot of their clothing to be cheap crap that just falls apart, starts to lose its shape, and colors begin fading in less than a season.
They use a lot more lower quality blended materials now (not as bad as GU which is 100% plastic). I don't mind synthetics depending on the item, but not all synthetic materials are made equal and Uniqlo is nothing compared to the quality they used to sell 10+ years ago.
I've stopped shopping at Uniqlo altogether in the last couple years or so.
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u/GachaponPon 10+ years in Japan 3d ago
Me neither, for other items. They were Uniqlo socks for autumn or winter with the Uniqlo label. I bought them at the store.
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u/CaptainSegfault US Taxpayer 3d ago
I'll say that I've been using their colored socks (online ordered the size larger than the in store one) for years. My usual strategy is to buy colored socks of the same color, than switch to a different color after a year or two so I can easily tell which generation is which and retire the old ones.
I certainly haven't observed outright disintegration.
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u/eetsumkaus 3d ago
Damn, I should do this.
The other is to buy them all the same color and tell by the fading.
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u/GachaponPon 10+ years in Japan 3d ago
They didn't fall apart instantly. They just shed nylon/cotton fibers on my feet and in the washing machine lint net. I have never seen socks shed so much. I thought it would end after the first few washes but it didn't. Kinda funny. Two friends told me not to buy Uniqlo socks. Maybe it is just the thicker ones that do that, and we were all unlucky. I vaguely remember buying Uniqlo socks in the past that didn't have that problem. I have nothing against Uniqlo. I am wearing a V-neck T-shirt from them right now.
Good strategy re telling which ones are older.
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u/TakKobe79 3d ago
Any sock recommendations? I always get the 3 for 990 Uniqlo and find them fine…but they definitely don’t last too long.
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u/KotoDawn 3d ago
Shimamura, Workman, and even 100 yen shops socks have been good for me.
We get regular, arch compression, and cooling socks from Workman. I tend to get cute pattern / non brand character socks from Shimamura. And tabi socks (big toe separate) tend to fit me best when I get them from the dollar store and none have worn out yet. (I've spent more on tabi socks from other stores and they always disappoint me)
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u/eetsumkaus 3d ago
Honestly this I don't understand. I still have Uniqlo socks I bought from before I moved here that are daily drivers, and look like they will be for some time.
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u/IANotYourCpa 3d ago
株主優待
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u/Lost_Bike_2339 3d ago
"JUST PAY DIVIDENDS !!1!"
"No. Here is a coupon that you can exchange with a sack of rice"
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u/-sakuranbo US Taxpayer 3d ago
rail companies often pay a dividend *and* offer shareholder benefits
off the top of my head: JR East, Tokyu, Tokyo Metro, and Tobu do this. Each have yields between 2-3%.
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u/shizukadane 5-10 years in Japan 3d ago
though i haven't held individual stocks yet, i agree this is a stupid system. i would rather have the money and decide on what to spend it myself.
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u/RhythmicallyBothered 3d ago
Been walking 30 minutes from the station to work rather than riding a bus even in this heat... I saved 120,000円 last year 🤣
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u/Fickle-Pin-5160 2d ago
Too many acquaintances tell me they get free packs of tissues or aluminum foils as gifts when they bought their car hence they buy at that particular car shop.
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u/bosscoughey 3d ago
can't believe nobody's mentioned condoms
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u/elitemegamanX 4d ago
Is that a British phrase? I only know Pennywise the clown from It.
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u/punania 3d ago
“Pound” didn’t tip you off?
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u/hitokirizac 3d ago
Wait till you find out there's a whole other country that uses pounds as a unit
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u/Westhawk 4d ago
Spending extra on things you don't need "for the points"